Kevin.pk Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 (edited) I've been doing my due diligence before I install a 2 spd Taurus fan in my car recently and thought I'd get the opinions of my Z brethren. I have just found the combination of parts from other forums, I certainly don't claim to have been the one to compile the following parts list. The parts: 2 speed fan from 1995 3.8l Taurus DORMAN Part # 620101 From Rockauto $94.79 BMW 80 / 88* C (176/190*F) dual temp switch Part # 61318361787 OR BMW 91 / 99* C (195/210*F) dual temp switch Part # 61311378073 94-97 850 Volvo 2spd Fan relay.part # 1398845 JTR Water temp sending unit bushing/adapterhttp://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/Parts_BMW-WatTempSending.html14mm x 1.5 to 3/8 NPT Wiring Schematic. You can certainly grab these parts from a Pick-n-pull and lower the cost substantially more. You could also grab the connectors for the volvo relay and the fan switch too. The fan switch connector can supposedly be bought new and put together for $8 with parts directly from BMW. http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43317 I haven't found a source for new volvo relay connectors though. Unless anyone has any addiional ideas/input, I think this is the route I am going to go with. I'll make sure to update the thread when I perform the actual install in my car with a full write up. Edit: Celsius to Fahrenheit conversion were wrong. Edited January 3, 2011 by 280zcar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 IMO the temperature switches are too high. If you want to run it that hot, get a 24psi cap for the radiator! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin.pk Posted January 3, 2011 Author Share Posted January 3, 2011 I suppose I should have mentioned this is for a SBC powered Z, if that makes much difference. I agree that the second switch(195/210) is probably too high, and I just realized that the listed Fahrenheit numbers weren't correct for the first switch. (I copied someone else's conversions from another site) The first switch should be 176*f / 190*f not 180/195. I thought, ideally, for my application I would want a switch with the low speed coming on at 185 and the high speed coming on at 200. I haven't found anything with those numbers yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Oh, that does make quite a bit of a difference. With an L.... Hayden, Be Cool, and other manufacturers have electronic solid state thermal controls that have adjustable cut in points. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin.pk Posted January 4, 2011 Author Share Posted January 4, 2011 (edited) Hayden, Be Cool, and other manufacturers have electronic solid state thermal controls that have adjustable cut in points. I'll probably go that route if I don't like how the BMW switch works out. The $15 cost for the BMW sensor is really what drove me to utilize it, as well as its two cut in points for the two speeds of the fan. I'll have to see if the aftermarket manufactures have anything for two speed fans or I might try using two sensors. I suppose I should wait and see if I even need the multiple speeds. I really just like having the extra speed if I end up putting A/C back in the car. Edited January 4, 2011 by 280zcar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin.pk Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 (edited) I posted a follow up in my build thread but figured I'd transfer my info here as well. Finished Install pics. I got all the wires covered in wire loom soldered, connected, and tested. I have the temp sensor mounted to the intake but it is at the back of the intake and the coolant dead heads at the sensor. I don't know if its a lack of flow around the sensor or just the time it takes for it to reach temp in general but the switch doesn't kick on until around 220 degrees. I may be moving the sensor to the radiator end tank sooner than I planned. IN the mean time I may just hook up an override switch to ground out the sensor and turn on the fan if the temps creep too high in any kind of traffic. Here is the sensors location at the back of the intake. It was just a convenient location since the port there was already 3/8 NPT. I might temporarily move it to the cylinder head with a 1/2 to 3/8 npt bushing, to see if that has any effect on the indicated temp that the fan kicks on at. Here is the Volvo relay with the wiring loomed up. and the last section of wiring loomed up and zip-tied to the fan shroud. Taurus fan impressions: THIS THING REALLY MOVES SOME AIR! My temps plummet the second it turns on. Works much, much better than the chrome aftermarket junk I had previously. Total cost: ~$180 It would have certainly ended up cheaper if I picked more of the parts up from a pick and pull. The only part that I picked up from the junk yard was the volvo relay because I wanted the OEM connectors. Edited February 9, 2011 by 280zcar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miles Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 what year and model Volvo is the relay from? Also, what is the amp rating for your alternator? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin.pk Posted February 10, 2011 Author Share Posted February 10, 2011 what year and model Volvo is the relay from? Also, what is the amp rating for your alternator? I know for a fact that the relay came in the 94-97 Volvo 850. It was used in a couple of other models as well though. If you are looking to grab one out of a junk yard it is located under a plastic trim piece on top of the cooling fan/behind radiator core support. I have a 110 amp alternator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miles Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 On hot days here in Sacramento my temp gauge gets up around 210 - 218 deg. I have the JTR radiator with a Flex-A-Lite 180 fan which I now think may be a marginal set up on a very hot day. So I am debating if I should up grade the radiator or do the Taurus fan install. My alternator is only 60 amp so if I go the Taurus route I'll have the additional expense of upgrading the alternator too. So now I know what Volvo relay to get if I go with the Taurus fan. I am also looking at using an Arizona Z or a Ron Davis custom radiator. Thanks for the info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin.pk Posted February 11, 2011 Author Share Posted February 11, 2011 You might be able to get by with the 60 amp, but I'm not certain. I had similar temps and slightly higher if I got stuck in traffic here in dallas for too long. My fan was far from adequate for the 100+ temp days last summer. I'm curious to see how well it does this summer as that is obviously my biggest concern. The volvo relay really did make the install fairly simple. Previously, I was not looking forward to wiring up multiple relays together with the 2 speeds, but this simplified it greatly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miles Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 (edited) Here is a link for more info on the Volvo relay for two speed fan operation. Some links and side bar discussion for two speed relay controls. http://www.nastyz28....ad.php?t=200028 Link to MK VIII fan performance data: http://forums.corvet...spal-duals.html Link to Hollister comapny that makes a relay kit for the two speed MK VIII fan http://www.hollisterroad.com/proddetail.asp?prod=MarkVIII Edited February 12, 2011 by Miles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin.pk Posted February 11, 2011 Author Share Posted February 11, 2011 Great link. That's actually where I gathered most of my information and the wiring schematic I put in the first post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miles Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Check out the test data for the MK VIII fan on the http://forums.corvet...spal-duals.html/ link. It plots CFM vs amps at various static pressures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin.pk Posted February 12, 2011 Author Share Posted February 12, 2011 the other two links aren't cooperating but I think I found them... http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-tech-performance/1816636-markviii-vs-spal-duals.html http://www.hollisterroad.com/proddetail.asp?prod=MarkVIII I got a kick out of the link back to Hybridz on the NastyZ28 forum on page 2. And another thing to note is that the guy from Hollister Road mentions that the Volvo relay isn't suitable for the Mark VIII fan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miles Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 I fixed those links in my post above. I found several Ford and Chevy sites talking about the Taurus fan and relay configurations with how-to instructions. Seems to be a popular install. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duragg Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Hey 280Zcar... how is all of this holding up for you? I am doing the same mod right now. Tj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duragg Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 What pissing me about this is I bought the BMW switch: BMW 80 / 88* C (176/190*F) dual temp switch Part # 61318361787 Being suspicious I put it in a water bath and behold, the first switch hits at 195, the second at 210f. Correct part number, even has the degrees marked on the housing. It us a URO switch from AutoHAUZ, so at the very least I've been punked by AutoCrapHauz Again... I will return it and order from a better supplier, Again. But gee I hope a proper RockAuto vendor tests correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike kZ Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 The Taurus fan does pull hard, but down here in Hotlanta I have mine set to come on, on high only. But if I'm in traffic on a very hot day, my temp gauge still climbs past 200* fast, so I have another smaller fan in front of the radiator pushing more air in traffic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redneck1545 Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 Mike, I've got the same setup and have completely rewired the car using a EZ-wiring kit. I ran a 00 gauge wire from the battery to the starter and another 00 gauge wire to a SAAB 4 terminal 60 amp distribution block. I'm running my headlights off individual terminals on the distribution block for high and low beams with relays, as well as another terminal that feeds the volvo relay for the fan. I ran my alternator to the feed post on the distribution block as well as another alternator wire back straight to the battery. The problem I've been chasing, and others have had as well on here that I've read, is the fan pulls so much juice on high that causes my alternator to load so severely that my rpms drop by about 200 every time the fan kicks on. Everyone in the past has talked about massive alternators and such, I'm just curious as to if you have had this problem as well. Any info would greatly be appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duragg Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 200rpm at idle? What engine and setup do you have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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